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Collaboration Fosters Inspiration and Innovation · Authentic Living

0:31
Welcome to authentic living with Roxanne, a global voice Radio.
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Join Roxanne Derhodge and her thought provoking conversations, the catalyst to live your life
0:42
to the fullest.
0:59
Hi, everyone.
0:59
It's Roxanne Duraj of authentic living with Roxanne.
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Thank you again for tuning in, to my radio show.
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So today I have a very, very, very, I'm gonna say special lady, and I'm it's Finlanka Rat
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Tinovic.
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Svevlana Ratnikova.
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You see, I knew I was gonna screw that up.
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That's so good.
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I did a good one on that one, and Svetlana and I have recently been acquainted and, because
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Svetlana is, from the the CEO and cofounder of immigrant women in business, which has been an
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existent for a year, and we're gonna talk a lot about that.
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But I I'm gonna tell you how I met her, which is interesting.
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And I'm kinda it feels like I've known her now.
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Long, but I've really only known her.
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Probably it's been not even 4, 5 weeks.
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Right?
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Correct.
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Okay.
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So I thought I was a networker, which are are are are a connector, which I I think I am if
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you when you get to know people more in my life, South Lana, But, so she had, I guess, she
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was, you know, looking at my profile on LinkedIn and something tweaked her, to, to
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connect with me.
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And she sent me a re quest of which I accepted.
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And then I think I sent her a little noting.
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Thanks a lot for connecting.
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Can we chat?
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I think was what I I had said if I could recall properly.
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And sure enough, right back, she wrote back.
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Sure.
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Not a problem.
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And, when can you chat?
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And we set up a time.
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And I think we spoke for, like, an hour on the telephone and then the rest of his is history
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at this point where, soon after I said, Hey, I'd like to, you know, kinda get to know a lot
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little bit more about IWP and maybe see if there's a fit for me.
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And she goes, well, I gotta meet you, of which, soon after, a couple of days after, I believe
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she invited me, to a Mother's Day event in Toronto.
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And, what I didn't know at that time, it was IWP had a presence, and I walk in, and it's
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the, nigh a Nigerian Association of Toronto, guess, the the newspaper owner, had had this
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big event.
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So to me, I was like, okay.
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This is this is, this is culture, this is immigrants, and, got exposed to a lot of things
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that never known anything about with with the Nigerian culture, which So thank you for that,
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and it was an awesome time to be exposed to IWP, and women in general on Mother's Day.
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So thank you again for that.
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So that's kinda how how early and and
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Yes.
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Collaboration and action.
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Yes.
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Absolutely.
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Absolutely.
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Here we are now, and we're collaborating, it with, the authentic connection movement events
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where, Svetlana is graciously, you know, decided to help out, with RTG to get, the word
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out about authentic city and mental health in the workplace.
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So so I'm gonna let you start wherever you need to.
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Because I, I think your story is, obviously quite fascinating.
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I've, also met, her husband who is equally as lovely, Steven Clark, who I interviewed, a
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little bit earlier today
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from our team.
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You have a lot to learn.
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Does he know that?
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Of course he does.
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Yes.
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I remind him every day.
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Yes.
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Okay.
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So, you know, so now to tell us that wherever you need to because, I mean, you've obviously I
4:52
could tell when I met you, the the impact that you have on a room, and I want I want my
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listeners to get a sense of you, which I think meeting you in person is is really key, but
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tell me tell me about your path and why you do what you do to connect people, which is what I
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obviously, this is a a god given gift.
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It's, it's love that I have with my heart, that, Just get me, get me out there.
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And that's why after 35 years, 30 of them running businesses.
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I am, still here, and I'm in full massive action, to do, to love, to give, it's, I
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consider myself a privileged person.
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Obviously, you are a counselor and, coach, that you are on a leadership role in a corporate,
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and human behavior.
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When we look, when they look at the human beings, and I guess that's why again, why I'm
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in the marketplace, enormous just giving love and supporting and, building, still businesses.
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Now, I'm building new organization, along with a few other projects, obviously.
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Because I got something with, a lot of people didn't have on their childhood.
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When I, my parents gave me, right habits that allowed me, to act on those habits.
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I was, trained to love, to respect, to constantly learn, I was really allowed to watch
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TV a few times a week for 15 minutes, but continues, in earning habit, that would,
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allowed me, to apply this in the marketplace.
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Right?
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So, I gave it everything to my parents.
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And now, obviously, when you learn through life, you learn through people, You understand
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that a lot of people become for, for broken families.
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They're not as privileged as I am, right?
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So people find that passion, that purpose from different different paths of lives, right, mine
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is, pretty, outstanding.
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That's why all this, started with, with my parents.
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I won the lottery.
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They gave me something that what, in a early age, that's why I was one of the first
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entrepreneurs in mosque COVID-nineteen allowed privatization.
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I was one of the first one, to register my own business.
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And that's being true entrepreneur because what drives entrepreneurship is, tremendous love to
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people.
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You obviously want them from the bottom of your heart to live better lives.
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And once you have that love from your parents, the confidence, the knowledge, obviously, for
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the 1st, 17 years of my life, I will train to constantly learn and improve.
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And I became my habit, and I started getting excited each and every day, learning new
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things.
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Right?
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So, from from being a young, young adult, running the company in Russia, to Today in
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Canada 2018, my son is thirty one years old, here with me in Canada.
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Obviously, there is spectacular journey But what, the, the, probably the most teaching to
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people is, to our people, learn to our people, unconditionally, learn to help, learn to give,
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we all can help if not about the money.
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It's about, some connections, knowledge, I would say often from, somebody who cleans the
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floor tables in McDonald's, I learn more than from people who have PhDs.
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Right?
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So, It's really we all have a lot to offer to the world and to people.
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If you can just open our hearts and, Just genuinely wanted to, build relationship with
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people.
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Obviously, this is the basic of business, building relationship, and providing value.
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But this is the basic of, anything we do in, being, finding the good husband that would
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apply the same.
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Building relationship, providing value because you're a good husband.
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Gotta be a good partner, right, that you've gotta be like minded person, So, excited to be
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alive.
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That's the quote from my son who is, entrepreneur, obviously, like, his mother, at
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the age of eleven, I was a single parent, at the age of eleven here in in Canada, when I
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will start building my businesses and, fizzle out on my plate.
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Obviously, when you are when your son is 11, one thing was constantly in my mind.
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So I have to keep his mind busy.
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So he's not doing wrong things.
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Right?
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So that's why, day of 11, I got him to do door to door sales.
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Child labor.
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Yeah.
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Here here we go.
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And, then at, 18th, he opened up his own company, start hiring 11, 12, years old kids
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who would be training door to door.
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Obviously, always, grateful for the opportunity to live in this country.
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That would, allow allowed me to be where I am, today, traveled a lot, build international
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distribution with my product, lived in different countries, Canada, there's a
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blessing, blessing, especially for females, wherein most of the countries, we can open
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businesses but, issues, the face in female leadership, especially in the business world,
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tremendous.
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Still in Moscow, you cannot really go to business clubs if you're female.
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I mean, how you can find your mentors and business advisors, you're not even allowed to
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go there.
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So Canada is always on my priority list for gratitude, always grateful to Canada, grateful
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for the peace and, health and everything that we have in abundance in this country.
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If you can only focus on, being grateful for those, the most important things, life is a
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miracle, but at the same time, I understand we all need help, and the life should be full of
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challenges, but in Canada, they're healthy challenges.
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You know what I mean?
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That's well off Canada.
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So tell me tell me about the birth of the idea of the IWP, like, So you're in business in
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Moscow.
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What kind of business, was it?
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It's
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seat covers for cars.
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Okay.
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Not very popular in, North American world.
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But very popular in, in countries, with lower economic level.
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Right?
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Okay.
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Okay.
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Yes.
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And that that was a lot of fun, because, when, garbage off without privatization, we didn't
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really have competition.
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So it's like having, one bottle of water in a desert.
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So you will manufacture the product because the challenge was in manufacturing.
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Manufacturing is where you deal with mafia.
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Right?
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So that's why the challenge.
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Selling, it wasn't the challenge.
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Interestingly, now when I came to Canada, obviously, a totally different business, right,
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whole, creativity in business marketing, because the, capitalism is, 200 plus years old.
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The market is very saturated.
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So it's a it's a different business journey, which obviously, for me, it's It's a lot of
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fun, to compare building business in Moscow and building business in Canada.
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But at the end of the day, it all comes down to leadership no matter where you're, where
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you're, build a business.
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And talking about, what you do with your events.
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So that's why, I'm obviously not really got connected to you because, first of all, I used
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to be headhunter for pharmaceutical companies, looking in people's eyes and people's profiles,
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it tells me a lot.
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Actually, you did say you did say that when I remember I now remember that.
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You said, Oh, my goodness.
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I forgot you said that.
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You said I looked at you you had the kind of eyes that told me that you were a good person.
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I and I thought, How did you see that in a picture?
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It's just like it.
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It's just it's, you know, Roxanne, it's got people when they talk about, intuition and, it
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you grow.
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You grow yourself to the level that you feel people.
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Right?
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So, it's all that experience.
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That's why we always lead with, yes, love to people for sure, but massive amount of action.
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So because through them, through action, you'll be able to learn things so that you don't need
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to have lengthy conversation with people.
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You look a little bit Okay.
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I got it.
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My heart tells me to connect with you.
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Right?
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Wow.
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And is that is that how you do a lot of your connection?
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Because I I mean, you know, that event that we went to, obviously, the women that I had met,
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from IWP were very connected, warm women.
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I mean, in the in the limited amount of time that I really was there, maybe an hour a half
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max, there was definitely a synergy that I experienced from being around those women, that
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I thought this is more like a sisterhood.
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Than it is.
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It felt more like a sisterhood compared to the networking, environments that I've been in.
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I I I continue to be in.
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Right?
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And also having been a female executive, in multiple areas.
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It's it's it's hard being a female in in in ranking companies, because sometimes what you
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find is that and, you know, you will sometimes hear women say this.
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It's easier sometimes to deal with a man in at the same level than it is a woman because the
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one the, you know, a lot of times I could tell you my experience in corporate is I felt like I
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constantly had to prove myself to the women that were on my level or above me, like I was a
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bit on, probation.
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In a way.
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Whereas sometimes dealing with the men were more straightforward, they looked at my
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performance versus, you know, so there was that penitiveness that actually was a bit
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adversarial with women at the level that I was at versus being collaborative, which is what
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you're talking about.
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Absolutely.
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And it's, it's you grow with business, to spirituality, right?
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So that's why when, last year when, we launched IB, the latest, who invited to be, key founding
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members, yes, the business acumen and spirituality, kindness with the mandatory.
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So, naturally, spirituality, kindness, and compassion.
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They were they would come 1st and then business acumen and their business connections.
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Yes.
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We have, ladies who have done tremendously well, who have a lot of zeros on their bank
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account.
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But you're just surprised.
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So, I mean, those ladies who have a lot of connections, I see it in action.
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Ladies who have hundred times less connections, but more giving spirit, they make bigger
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impact.
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And that's, that's what I am after.
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And, that's what the world is after.
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Right?
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And you're, you're, there's a combination.
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I mean, how you invite those people.
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Obviously, I'm just like you, via in that age category.
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We were, build up through, having, fabulous gentlemen around us who guided us, corrected
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us, if you're on the c level positions, your mentors, your senior advisers would be guys.
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Right?
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Yes.
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Right.
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I mean, 25 years ago, it wasn't the case.
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Right?
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No.
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We have it in our I couldn't even pronounce it.
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Female Mentor or advisor.
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It was naturally for all of us that had you know, it's a gentleman.
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Right?
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Now we have us very fortunate to have females from female leadership and again, we were very
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thankful to Canada for the mentality of freedom and, to gentlemen in Canada, Canadian kind
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culture and, gentlemen, allowed us to grow who did see the potential, look at look at Stephen.
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I mean, that's amazing when people ask me how, IWB was born.
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He's the one who brought it to my attention.
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And I will disable him for so many years because, I said that's I mean, what am I going
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to do?
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I don't wanna open up nonprofit organization.
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And, what am I going to do with those ladies?
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And for all that live that I build businesses, I only had gentlemen around me, all my network
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off.
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Super strong, guys and accomplished guys.
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So how am I going to open the immigrant feminine business?
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It can never happen because I need a team behind that.
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So, back to, you know, back to basic, even though most my network of those core leaders,
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they were gentlemen, but it did make a lot of sense last year.
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It was the time.
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I connected, New Year's.
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I usually connect with my key individuals, and a few of them, the sets with Lana, they build
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businesses, they sold it to other businesses, it's time for us to help our sisters.
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And to me, it's like, well, it is the time.
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And they're only all they're immigrants.
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Right?
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The key of any organization, you go now anywhere.
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You take, you take corporation, you take, IWP, you take any company, diversity is the key.
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But to me, I have strong leadership skills, and, I love to be surrounded the people who I
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can constantly learn from.
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It's the formula of girls and business leadership Right?
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Because I am the head of the organization.
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I have to be happy.
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In order for me to be happy, I have to constantly be challenged, and I have to calm
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the lawn.
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So it was just the right time.
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Last year, it was the right time.
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And it's interesting because with Jantoon and different different different way we
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communicate.
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Gentlemen, they would always invite me.
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Let's go here.
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Let's go there.
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With ladies, I knew that they are there for so many years, but we are so driven because we're
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probably immigrants and mothers.
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You just have less time.
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Right?
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And our time is so valuable So we didn't really nobody really had time for kids chats.
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Right?
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So, I knew that she's there.
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I knew that she's opening that academy that's school that I and I I was thinking of them and
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that my heart would smile, but we would never discuss that.
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Right?
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I mean, that's I mean, she's there.
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Excellent.
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Right?
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So it's different than the way we communicate, between ladies and gentlemen, and it's it's new
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for me.
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I took it as a challenge as well because it's easy for me, or you're Russian, you're
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intelligent.
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I mean, you're, you've done well.
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I mean, it's not difficult to attract guys to your network.
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Ladies, it was a challenge for me.
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And I like that.
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I took that challenge, and, I've gotta get them.
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I'm having a lot of fun.
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Actually, I thought that it's going to be, the organization with the goal to fit 300,000
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Aboriginal malnourished children.
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That was my goal, but now the impact that the organization, makes in the community, it's
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unbelievable.
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People, they just bombarded, give it questions, and, thank you letters.
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And, how can we help?
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We wanna work together.
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We wanna find way to collaborate.
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We were watching you for the last year, you know, when people Yes.
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Do businesses, often.
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They come off the line.
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I just started, and it's already 3 months.
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And it's I said, it's not time yet.
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I mean, people like me, like leaders, They will support.
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We will work with you, but if you watch what you do, I mean, do it once, 2, 3, grow
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organically, and it's going to happen because and it's going to happen by itself, actually,
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especially with the internet, when you can become influencer naturally, right, when you do
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something meaningful and good.
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So it's, it's it's, Again, it's a it's a very exciting time to be in the marketplace.
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So now it's time to do good.
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They can, drive meaningful initiatives to the market ways.
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The world is ready to collaborate, to work to get a millennials, they want to make the world
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a better place, 87% of them.
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It's just thrilling exciting, but, are people going to go through a lot of challenges because
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most even millennials, We see them go through a lot of challenges because they got their,
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university degree.
23:53
They get their, they get their MPs, then they go to the marketplace and there's no 100 k job
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for them out there.
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Right.
24:00
Right.
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It's gonna go on those days now.
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Of course.
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So that's why there's a huge need for leadership profile, authentic leadership for
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coaches.
24:10
They're looking for mentors.
24:12
They're looking for advisors.
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A lot of female.
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So that's why organizations grow naturally because that's what they want.
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They want people who they can learn from.
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Obviously, modernization, immigrants, women, and business, the lot of newcomers, and now
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newcomers, different newcomers.
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We used to be we came to this country, because we were running away from mafia wars, but now
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we have absolutely incredible line of people that come into the marketplace because,
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millennials, they born with those.
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I mean, they have the choice.
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They have they already know we've, I am an MBA from Germany, and I want to build spectacular
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future to lead, to do good, to be, authentic, true leader, female leader.
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Canada is one of the best countries to do that.
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So we attract those people who come from Developed Countries.
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They choose Canada with female leadership.
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Who are, obviously, we are we are one of the, we are one of the leaders in social enterprise
25:24
world and impact investment.
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Look at look at our numbers.
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It's all Canada.
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So that's why those people, they come to us, and it's perfect.
25:33
The only thing for how to lead, what businesses to start, where to where to go, what to do,
25:39
what people to connect to, to start their journey.
25:42
And, coaching industry, if you look at numbers in the last few years, they Finally, I mean,
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about 20 years, it was a little bit of struggle during your coach.
25:54
And now those millennials, they're looking for coaches.
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They understand that they need the coach in financial, in marketing, in different levels of
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life, in order to excel.
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And they're prepared to pay for it.
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And, of course, 80 percent of successes between your ears.
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So when when you guide your, Of course, coaches.
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It's, it's time to work hard and celebrate at the same time.
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And it you're so right in saying that it is, you know, myself, my story is I I was, kind of
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one of the some of the brats from the Caribbean, that came up and went to school
26:35
privileged, when I was sixteen.
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Right?
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So my my reality was a bit different.
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But still, even being an immigrant back then coming to Canada, you know, everything was
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different.
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Everything was glaringly different.
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Every that was the customs were different.
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It was harder to connect to people.
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You know, you're leaving, you're leaving everything that you've known behind.
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To start a new life because, of course, my parents, like, any, any immigrant parents
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wanted better for their children.
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So they could have sent us anywhere in the world, Canada was perceived as the best place,
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and the safest place to be be able to send us at that time.
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And I just think about, you know, I came to go to university, and still it was a struggle.
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So I could imagine with people, like you're saying, running from wars and, you know,
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different kind of situation coming as refugees, coming with basically sometimes the clothes on
27:30
their back, literally, and wanting, you know, to have to go into a shelter but immigrants
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bring such a a tenaciousness, like, an ethic because they know what it is to not have.
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And then into a a a country as prosperous as Canada.
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And then they think, wow.
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This is, like, amazing.
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Absolutely.
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Right?
27:53
You're absolutely right.
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It's just, wow.
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I mean, people, they have everything.
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What?
27:58
And, by the interesting year, you're talking about, wellness, in all the wine.
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When I came to Canada, 1st 3 days.
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I was right downtown Toronto.
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I was looking at people's eyes because my heart, I love people.
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I was looking at people's eyes.
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There's everything in this country, but people are not happy enough.
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Right.
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I
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mean, the thinking here So then I start obviously learning the habits, eating fast
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food, watching TV.
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That's not the right habits.
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To learn, to improve.
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I mean, right?
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I mean, that's what, that's what get people going to the next level.
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That's why they're happy.
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This thing has to work.
28:47
And, I looked at Canadians and say, oh my goodness.
28:53
They just spoiled people.
28:54
They got everything.
28:55
And what happens with the spoiled people?
28:57
What happens with the spoiled child?
28:59
It's a disaster.
29:01
To our kids.
29:03
Right.
29:04
They're they're not good friends.
29:05
They're not good fathers.
29:07
They're not good, employees.
29:09
I mean, nothing good about it.
29:11
Right?
29:11
So we need challenges and immigrants.
29:14
So that's why I love dealing with immigrants because once you come from one country to
29:18
another, once you made this huge risk.
29:22
I mean, that's what we teach in business.
29:23
I mean, what's business?
29:24
It's taking risk.
29:26
This this is like jumping out of the plane and hoping to god that parachute opens.
29:30
Here we go.
29:32
So in our in our, meetings, in our conversation with immigrants, I mean, they came from
29:41
Philippines through China where they had slave for 3 years somewhere in, in China in order to
29:49
to come or people from Russia come from running from Russian mafia and leaving everything
29:55
there.
29:56
Look at, I mean, This is a different conversation.
30:01
They're not truly live with gratitude.
30:03
Right?
30:04
So they just grateful for little things.
30:06
They get something, look at people from 3rd world countries.
30:11
I mean, they don't know how refrigerator look like.
30:14
Each and every 10 seconds, the child still dies from starvation, no malnutrition.
30:18
I mean, how about is that?
30:21
And obviously, dealing with those people is such a joy because guess what they wanna do?
30:25
If they're from Philippines or Palestine, where, basic human rights are broken, when, you
30:35
become mother and successful business person, but you wanna do it with this money.
30:39
You wanna help kids in your own country who die from starvation.
30:43
Right?
30:44
So it's, it's a different mindset, but I obviously would allows us to grow immigrants,
30:54
is Canada.
30:55
Canada has ethical capitalism, right, and the laws are working.
31:00
Mean, look how much money in Brazil, in China, in Colombia.
31:04
Yeah.
31:05
In Russia, our option is everywhere.
31:08
So, you cannot, really even, I mean, the laws, even the laws are written there.
31:16
There there's away.
31:16
I mean, you go to the police station.
31:18
I can tell you everywhere in Russia.
31:20
You, you're abused.
31:21
You go to the police station.
31:22
And what did they tell you?
31:23
Go back home.
31:25
So there is no way any guy in Russia going to jail for, for abuse.
31:31
I mean, the law, it's corrupt everywhere.
31:33
I mean, the laws could be there.
31:35
Who cares about the laws?
31:36
So they obviously live in this country talking about ethics and authenticity, this beautiful
31:43
world.
31:44
I mean, we have to step up as leaders talking about leadership, and we have to because the
31:49
from Canada gives us the platform and opportunity to impact people's lives all over
31:54
the world.
31:55
And you know that, the amount of, challenges that people face
32:00
Yeah.
32:00
For sure.
32:01
So with with immigrant women, the
32:08
ones that join the organization.
32:12
Yep.
32:12
What are some of the top things that you see with them when they're starting a business?
32:17
Is it any different from say other female Canadian women that are starting businesses.
32:29
Lack of, financial backing.
32:32
Okay.
32:33
Okay.
32:33
Right.
32:34
Because I see, the my Canadian friends, if they wanna open the business a lot of them, they go
32:41
to the finalists.
32:42
Mhmm.
32:42
Alright.
32:43
If, If you're if you're Canadian, I mean, it's, your parents did well.
32:51
I mean, it would be, baby Boomer generation, for money they did well.
32:58
So, for immigrants, obviously the same stuff.
33:02
I mean, they don't have credit history.
33:04
They have.
33:04
They don't have business and that.
33:06
But in any business requires finances.
33:08
Right?
33:13
I mean, they they're going to take Crisk, which is very important.
33:17
That's why I love it.
33:18
Right.
33:19
So they're willing to take the risks, but oftentimes they don't have the background, that
33:25
the some maybe other people that were come from Canada might have?
33:29
It's kind of, I mean, they don't have, understanding how Canadian, style of business
33:35
works.
33:36
They don't understand usually Canadian customer, Canadian can and you have to be
33:41
engaged in a marketplace for now years to understand how Canadian, people think what
33:49
they're looking for because as an entrepreneur, you're, feeling, feeling, their need.
33:56
Okay.
33:57
And the most important is networking.
33:59
Right?
33:59
Networking, networking, networking, it's not what we know.
34:03
It's who we know.
34:04
Right.
34:04
Right.
34:05
And, it takes time to build relationship.
34:08
You know that.
34:09
It takes Of course.
34:10
Absolutely.
34:11
If you're not knowing the the cult the the kind of the cultures or the norms, and sometimes
34:18
being maybe intiminated by by the fact that, you know, Canada's so big, like, I think of
34:23
myself as a teenager, you know, huge and everything's different and every every culture
34:29
is different and those types of things.
34:32
And then you're coming over maybe as an adult with children, Yep.
34:36
Children are also going through certain things.
34:38
Right?
34:38
They need you, and you're trying to figure it out too, with all the differences and
34:44
struggles, like you said, the stressors that are associated with moving country to country,
34:49
you know, that that's a huge stress And when kids go to school, if they don't speak the
34:54
language, or if they if they dress different, there's a lot of things.
34:57
So it takes a lot of strength to start over.
35:01
I deal with business, the business lady sent, I can tell you that that stuff it's tough because
35:08
most of us especially from countries like Russia, Europe, Eastern Europe, South American
35:15
world.
35:16
A lot of us, I mean, most of my, friends, from those countries who run businesses in Canada
35:23
for many years did the worst.
35:26
Because guys, they used to be bosses in in this country.
35:31
It's a very shamanistic approach.
35:32
Right?
35:33
Here, they're just not a good fit.
35:37
So it's just not working because, and I understand that I have a husband like that.
35:42
Right?
35:42
I mean, He, he used to be, you know, that macho guy and here, I came here.
35:49
I started doing my own stuff.
35:51
I start learning Canadian culture.
35:53
Where my Canadian, people in corporate, we've done this with Lana while you're running, like
35:57
crazy home.
35:58
I said, I have to cook dinner.
35:59
They said, no, you don't have to cook dinner.
36:02
Because you in Canada.
36:03
Work on yourself.
36:04
Let's go to the gym.
36:06
Let's go take classes and courses.
36:08
And guys, they obviously don't like it.
36:10
So the divorce ratio is, in immigrants, especially females who decided to step up and
36:17
actually, tell them, no.
36:20
I'm not going to cook the deer.
36:21
No.
36:21
You're not going to abuse me anymore.
36:23
Right?
36:24
And if you don't like me, mass fools to all of them.
36:28
So that's where we got it.
36:30
Business.
36:31
He usually becomes single parent.
36:34
You have no support when you start the business because you don't have relatives here.
36:39
You have to run something for financial backing.
36:42
To pay your bills, obviously, because you have the the kids.
36:45
And then at the same time, you're starting your own business.
36:50
So that's a lot.
36:51
A lot of stress.
36:52
It takes a lot of strength, basically.
36:54
It really does.
36:55
It does.
36:56
It takes massive.
36:57
And even though they're prepared to work hard, they just cannot fit in 24 hour a day.
37:04
That's where, I mean, they're actually all prepared to work hard but they're running
37:09
around.
37:10
It's, it's, definitely to find people who, you know, and a lot comes from, from your mind.
37:19
Right?
37:19
I mean, you don't actually in Canada, especially, like, anywhere in the world.
37:25
It's more strategic.
37:26
Right?
37:27
So if you actually, most strategic and, think in the right way, and think in a way to
37:35
surround yourself with people who have big goals accomplished with positive attitude.
37:40
Actually, the journey would be so much more fun.
37:43
Right?
37:44
So it's more actually less running around, especially now with internet where everything
37:48
is basically sold online.
37:52
Most business is now here.
37:53
It's always been here, but now it's just the joy anybody can do between Amazon and Shopify.
38:03
Yeah.
38:03
Yeah.
38:03
The $500 investment put your mind into work and you can create a good income for yourself.
38:12
Right.
38:12
Right.
38:13
And a lot of, people these days that are looking for millions, they're looking for for
38:18
good income that they can work from home, spend time with their kids.
38:23
Internet allows us to do that.
38:24
And with immigrants, obviously, it was another reason, why it was the right time to open IB
38:31
because the business is global these days.
38:34
Right?
38:35
People wanna sell the product.
38:36
They wanna sell the product to China and to Brazil and to different countries.
38:41
The people wanna buy product Canadian product?
38:44
Absolutely.
38:46
What do I always tell people?
38:47
What's the best marketing for you guys?
38:49
Canadian flag.
38:51
People want to deal with Canadians because they're kind, they're ethical, and they want to
38:58
buy Canadian products from all over the world.
39:00
Just step up.
39:03
Right.
39:03
Right.
39:04
So with your with your events then, what what what happens at your events?
39:10
And, obviously, I mean, you know, I like I said, I experienced just a get together.
39:14
I didn't even I haven't even been to one of your events, and I hope to get there soon.
39:18
Yeah.
39:19
I could feel the authenticity by those women.
39:22
I was sitting next to a a a c 2, a c 2, Yes.
39:27
I see it too.
39:28
Right.
39:28
I I had to say a thicker name.
39:30
Most of us, we have funny names.
39:31
Yes.
39:32
Right.
39:32
And, she, what a lovely, the young lady that started that business on her own with and she
39:40
had that her little boy there who was, I think, about 11.
39:43
You know, and, you know, she was telling me a bit about her story, which is not unlike some
39:48
of what you're telling me, right?
39:50
And and his done really, really well, you know, and it started just really good business.
39:55
So it takes strength, but connection is important, and it sounds like, and if I'm gap
40:01
sumizing from what you're talking about, it's that connection that also allows these
40:06
immigrant women that get together in business feel supported to get the strength to be able
40:11
to push forward.
40:12
Absolutely.
40:13
First of all, it's, inspiring.
40:16
Right?
40:17
I mean, a lot of people usually in the attendees, I can tell you most of them, not
40:24
most of them, but good half, good half.
40:26
They're, They go through challenges.
40:29
Maybe they started the business and they go through challenging times and the doubting Can
40:35
I do it or not?
40:39
There are a lot of corporate people, now millennials, what 30, 35.
40:44
They come to our events.
40:45
They're jumped from one corporation to another.
40:49
That's not what they want.
40:51
They realized that, okay.
40:53
It doesn't feel right.
40:54
In order to feel right, I gotta step up and do something on my own.
40:59
So I take control of my finances, in my hands, and I'll be my own leader, my own boss, and do
41:08
some meaningful things by by, by myself.
41:13
But those people, they also, I mean, information is out there, but there's a lot of
41:19
information that scares people.
41:21
Still, you know, good 80, 85 percent of businesses, they don't make it.
41:27
And they know that.
41:28
So those people who sit in the audience, what are they thinking?
41:31
Am I should I start a business?
41:33
Am I going to make it?
41:34
Why am I different from those 85% we didn't make it in business?
41:38
Right?
41:39
Right.
41:39
Right.
41:39
So obviously in operational stories from females, who actually made it in the
41:46
marketplace and who are there to give them hand telling them I'll help you out to be where I
41:54
am, especially if, the passion aligned with the passion.
41:59
So if they they wanna be successful in financial field, so they have someone, who
42:04
speaks Portuguese and from Brazil.
42:06
And, she is already 20 years ahead in financial field.
42:11
So she becomes, practical mentor.
42:14
And this person who can teach them exactly what they are looking for and, open up connection at
42:22
the same time.
42:23
Right.
42:26
After and I find, young people, they don't understand that it gives joy to us.
42:32
Right?
42:33
If you always joke with Steven, about it because it gives us joy to give.
42:39
What are we going to do with both our connections?
42:42
Keep it keep it up for all ourselves.
42:44
Yeah.
42:45
And and you remember what it was like when you were young.
42:48
Right?
42:48
Like, I mean, I often say, you know, when I started in business, when I started mine, it's
42:54
gonna be 8 years ago now.
42:56
You know, I was already established, and it's still tough you know, to start a business and,
43:01
you know, I was educated, you know, and, you know, walked away ended my marriage up to 25
43:09
years, didn't have a job, maybe didn't should have thought that one through and started a
43:14
business.
43:15
I'm starting a business with no support.
43:18
Right?
43:19
So for me, you know, I've been here since I was sixteen, but I'm still, you know, from
43:23
somewhere else, but I had been acculturated to being Canadian, and I knew the system, and it
43:29
was still scary.
43:31
Right?
43:32
So I think, yes, you're right.
43:33
So someone like me now, when I meet someone young starting, I remember what it was like.
43:39
Cool.
43:39
And I want you want to give back.
43:41
You want to help.
43:42
You wanna say, you know, you'll be fine.
43:46
Those doubts you have are normal, you know, but you've got if you got vision and if you got
43:52
passion and if you got strength, that, that truly is what, you know, you need.
43:57
That's enough to keep the gas going moving it up.
44:01
Right?
44:01
So I think you're right.
44:02
It's giving back, and, because we've all been helped, you know, I know I've been helped so
44:08
much along the way, I would not be doing what I'm doing today if if I didn't have multiple
44:14
people help me along the way, That's and that could say something as basic as, oh, of course,
44:19
you can do it.
44:20
And you go you can.
44:21
Right?
44:22
Even when you're thinking you have that soft doubt, you know, and then someone says, of
44:25
course, you can.
44:26
I'm done.
44:27
It's no big deal.
44:28
Like, when people talk to me about writing a book, I said, no.
44:30
People will say to me, how can you say that?
44:32
Writing a book's, and I go, no.
44:36
I'll help you.
44:36
No big deal.
44:37
And they go, you're kidding.
44:39
Right?
44:39
I'm like, no.
44:40
No.
44:40
No.
44:40
I'm serious.
44:41
It's unbelievable.
44:42
I hear exactly what you're talking about.
44:45
And those little things, they'll they'll they change people's lives.
44:48
I mean, they come to us after, oh, you actually you know what?
44:51
You changed my life.
44:52
I what did I do?
44:53
You basically delivered me.
44:54
Right?
44:55
But I mean, those doubts, I mean, if you actually look at the person and, start asking
45:00
direct, honest questions.
45:03
Yeah.
45:04
What are you sad about?
45:05
There's no reason to be sad.
45:07
I mean, you've got it all, you know, what you wanna do.
45:10
You know, who you are.
45:11
You have the purpose.
45:12
You have the passion.
45:13
You have I mean, you've got it.
45:15
And then look at your Really?
45:17
You think I can do it?
45:19
Yeah.
45:20
And it's it's amazing.
45:22
Feeling for both parties, right, the
45:24
because we all need that validation.
45:26
You know, I I was listening to, something that I was an interview with Oprah, and she said the
45:32
one defining similarity in all of us.
45:37
She says everybody that she had interviewed in her I forget how many hundreds of shows.
45:42
You know what?
45:43
First thing they would say to when when they're done?
45:45
How did I do?
45:48
How did I do?
45:49
She says whether it was president Obama Amaya Angelo Yep.
45:53
Or a mother, they would say after the interview.
45:56
So how'd I do?
45:57
Because we all need to hear that.
45:58
So that whole concept.
46:00
It's like it's like that invisible hub.
46:02
Right?
46:03
It said, okay.
46:05
You did awesome.
46:07
And you never know what those kind words are gonna lead like your rights because maybe that
46:12
self doubt is, like, who do I think I am?
46:14
You know, I'm gonna do X Y Z, And they have all, you know, they're just normal to doubt
46:19
yourself because when you're stepping into something new, but then when you have people
46:23
validating you to say, of course, you can.
46:26
And then they they take that extra step.
46:28
So if that's what you do, at your your meetings, it must be amazing to see the
46:33
transformation or to hear the inspirational stories of, of women that have, have been
46:39
there, and then they can pass it on to to newer women coming in.
46:42
Yeah.
46:43
Absolutely.
46:43
That's what makes it, inspirational because they're actually, sharing their challenges.
46:48
Right.
46:49
That is what as courageous to do.
46:51
I mean, to talk about success as everyone can do
46:53
that.
46:54
Yes.
46:55
Yes.
46:55
Talk about your challenges.
46:57
This takes a lot out of you.
46:58
Right?
46:58
It brings a lot of emotions, and it takes the certain maturity of the human being shared
47:04
those challenges, but we all have the same business world.
47:07
I mean, it's all about making mistakes every day.
47:10
We learn every day.
47:11
Right?
47:13
But we don't talk about those mistakes and failures often enough, but it's coming.
47:18
I think that, entrepreneurship in Canada, what it seals right now It's in a very intense
47:24
level.
47:24
Leadership is, picking up.
47:27
People they talk about.
47:29
They throw feedbacks and, I mean, it's it's a, it's an excellent place in the market, in the
47:36
market right now to be, to grow.
47:38
There is, more communication.
47:41
People were picking up the phone and moving things forward, so much faster.
47:46
It's getting there.
47:47
I think in the next few years, I mean, we'll start creating huge tangible impacts, not only
47:54
in Canada, but all over the world, with Canadian Leadership.
47:58
Awesome.
47:58
Awesome.
47:59
Well, you know, I'm so glad you run across my eyes on LinkedIn here.
48:05
I feel I feel very privileged to feel like I I'm in your circle, based on all this great
48:10
work that you're, you're doing in the world, you know, you know, and as a as an as an
48:16
immigrant woman, even though I was privileged coming to Canada, I can relate.
48:21
And I I remember, you know, And, you know, I was when I was an executive, I was quite young,
48:26
and I remember sitting on, a boardroom on Bloor Street, And here I am, I think I was the only
48:33
non white woman at that boardroom table.
48:36
And I was thinking, how did you get in my mind, right?
48:41
Even though I grew up with the belief and I got told from a little girl with with my education
48:47
system and all the you can do whatever you want.
48:51
Right, but still.
48:52
And then I would go into some of these plants and, and my role I'll give you an example of
48:59
something that happened, which is which which is funny, but not funny.
49:02
And, so I went in, and one day I was rolling out a program, And the shift starting was going
49:10
to be really early, so they wanted me to come really, really early.
49:13
So when I go into plants and stuff, of course, I'm not wearing suits and stuff.
49:16
So I went, you know, more basic clothes.
49:19
And so I go to the door.
49:20
I think it might have been at Clorox or something in Mississauga.
49:24
And so I go up and I, you know, I, they tell me who to look for and blah blah blah.
49:29
So I go and I, I go and I said, well, I'm looking for so and so from HR.
49:33
And, the person comes out and says, well, you know, you're starting work today.
49:38
And I said, did you come to work today?
49:41
And I said, yes.
49:42
I didn't identify who I was.
49:44
Said, well, wait here.
49:45
We'll get your supervisor before I could finish what I was trying to say.
49:49
I'm here to, you know, I'm I administrate the program that you've purchased, and I'm here to
49:54
talk about it, but they didn't.
49:56
So when I went up to the front of the room and I was talking to all those, I could just see
50:01
this person shriveling Right?
50:03
Like, oh, oh my goodness.
50:05
I assumed, you know, and when I looked out, you know, Sedona, all I could see were immigrants.
50:12
Right?
50:12
And then what happened is, I don't know how many women came up and meant to, but they said,
50:19
how did you get where you got to be standing up there in front of us doing what you do.
50:26
And I, I, I was struck, and I, and I said, you can do it too.
50:32
Right?
50:32
That was my first instinct, right?
50:34
Because, you know, sometimes it's just that interaction with someone that's maybe looks
50:40
like them, has the same accent, those types of things that gives people that belief that I can
50:46
do it too.
50:47
Because like you said, you were fortunate like I was.
50:51
I grow I grew up being told you're the smartest thing that God ever created, and you can do
50:57
whatever you with your life, which, unfortunately, sometimes, you know, not
51:01
everybody gets that, right?
51:04
So sometimes, you know, so being an immigrant, sometimes people assume they know, and they
51:09
don't know until you start to connect and and spend that time.
51:14
So, you know, mentoring may must be an amazing thing.
51:16
And, hopefully, I can help out and act as a mentor for some of your women because I would
51:22
love be able to do that, to help women in any way, to be able to give back.
51:27
Because to me, I am who I am today because I had you know, my parents, my, my, my father,
51:37
was a cane farm.
51:38
My, my grandparents were keen farmers.
51:42
And Tobago.
51:43
This so
51:43
they What is it?
51:44
What kind of farmers?
51:46
Caine.
51:46
Sugarcane
51:48
sugarcane sugarcane.
51:49
Okay.
51:50
And, you know, so very, very poor.
51:53
And, you know, and then my father became an entrepreneur.
51:58
Quite young, you know, to be able to, and then ended up taking care of his immigrant parents.
52:03
So I was supposed to being an entrepreneur very, very young.
52:08
And, you know, kind of, you know, and he my, you know, my father did very well.
52:12
And my mom took really good care of us.
52:14
And that was bred into my my my veins, obviously, from a very, very young age.
52:20
And where did I end up?
52:21
You know, I ended up in psychology, but I ended up in business again because I'm, of course,
52:26
kind of, you know, seeping through my veins.
52:28
So you know, that what you're doing, I think, is fantastic.
52:32
And, mentoring is an amazing thing.
52:35
And you're right.
52:36
You know, we all have we all need mentors.
52:38
I still have, you know, mentors that I work with all the time.
52:41
Absolutely.
52:42
I'm so And you you're saying a psychology of course, and you you're on a leadership role and
52:47
you're teaching leadership and looking at putting event together because this is the
52:52
solution.
52:52
Right?
52:54
Because, you wanna provide people the solution.
52:56
So it's, and solution is to take charge.
53:00
Absolutely.
53:01
And that's why you do what you do.
53:04
I do.
53:04
I do.
53:05
So you're gonna be at the events.
53:07
So everybody listening, if you want to meet this amazing lady, please come.
53:13
She will be there in her audience.
53:15
She will have a booth with IWB.
53:18
I'm sure she's gonna bring a lot of her IW people with her.
53:22
So you're gonna have this opportunity to be able to network with her and hang out, ask any
53:28
kind of, you know, mentoring questions or business questions and talk about her
53:33
international community, with immigrant women.
53:36
So that's gonna be amazing.
53:38
So So then if people wanted to get a hold of you, where where should they reach out?
53:45
I'll I'm one and only Vitlana Ratnikova.
53:47
It's a beauty to be an immigrant.
53:49
When they Google Switlana, Ratnikova Toronto, Toronto.
53:52
I'll be one and only one.
53:53
One and only one in Canada.
53:55
So My phone number is the everywhere immigrant women and business dot com is, my website and
54:02
all the activities done social media.
54:05
They'll lead them to next events and to, next, next, mentoring, sessions and, to all the
54:15
activities, it's a place on our Facebooks and LinkedIn's, all over social media.
54:22
It's easy to find.
54:23
Awesome.
54:24
I
54:24
I think it would be hard not to find you in a room, but they can find you anywhere.
54:29
So, go to LinkedIn, go to Facebook, or just go to IWB, online and, you she's gonna pop up, all
54:38
over.
54:39
So Sylana, thanks again for taking the time for my listeners.
54:43
You know, authenticity is key.
54:45
And yet again, as we as we listen to what Svetlana has done in the world.
54:51
It's about being yourself, you know, creating what comes from your soul.
54:56
And when you feed that space, regardless of whether it's to be the best parent you need to
55:01
be, to start a business or just to to be up in a mentorship role, just think about what you're
55:07
giving back, to the next generation, or just anybody that I often say is around you in
55:12
concentric those.
55:14
You do good and, you know, you you impact people and they're for generations that you may
55:20
never know, but at least you know that you do with things in the world.
55:23
So come out on, June 22nd, at the Sanmet Hotel in this summit to meet us all.
55:29
If you're wanting more information on the events, you go to roxanderbodge.com/authentic
55:36
Connection Movement2018.
55:38
So take care, and we'll chat with you next week.
55:42
Take care.